“Thank you, no,” Ann Mary said emphatically. “The last time you counted the sheets you counted one of them twice.”
Marjorie giggled, and the girls followed Ann Mary out into the hall. As she hurried up the stairs to the balcony, Judy said:
“I wish you’d show me the secret room sometime, Marjorie. I think you’re mean to keep it a secret from me, your very best friend.”
“Why, of course, I’ll show it to you,” Marjorie cried impulsively. “And there’s no time like the present.” She led the way into the alcove and said, “See those bookshelves? Now watch, while I press this button.”
Open-mouthed with amazement, Judy watched as the shelves moved aside, revealing a short flight of stairs that led down into a little room.
“Why, that’s the most marvelous contraption I ever saw,” she said enviously. “I wish we had something like it at home.”
“We can’t go in,” Marjorie said. “It’s a law we passed at a meeting of the Allen Lodge Board of Directors. Only Phil and Pat can go in. As a matter of fact,” she added thoughtfully, “I guess I shouldn’t have showed you how the door works without first asking their permission.”
“I won’t tell a soul,” Judy promised. “But why all the secrecy?”
“Well,” Marjorie explained, “we keep all the guests’ valuables and all the money in that little old wall safe in there.” She stopped suddenly. “Oh, gosh, I guess that was Ann Mary who just went by the alcove. She must have heard us talking in here and now she’ll guess that I showed you the secret room.”
“Will she tell Phil and Penny?” Judy asked worriedly. “And will they bawl you out? Oh, I hope not. It was all my fault! Curiosity killed the cat,” she finished lamely.